Trafalgar

Description

Science fiction meets magical realism in this brilliant novel from one of Latin America's best-loved science-fiction writers In the cafes and bars of Rosario, Argentina, there are sure to be many tall tales told. But none, perhaps, quite as spectacular as those recounted by Trafalgar Medrano. With a coffeepot and a pack of cigarettes to hand, he will nonchalantly tell you all about his otherworldly adventures- from studying dancing troglodytes on a mucky planet, to befriending the only chaotic man in a perfectly arranged society, to a close shave in 15th century Spain. The things Trafalgar has seen... Cosmopolitan, wildly imaginative and, above all else, pure fun, Angelica Gorodischer's Trafalgar is an utterly unique work of science fiction.

Although born in Buenos Aires in 1928, Angelica Gorodischer is most closely associated with the city of Rosario, her home since childhood and also the home of her famous character Trafalgar Medrano. She has written over twenty books, including Trafalgar (1979) and the fantastical Kalpa Imperial (1983-4), which was translated into English by Ursula K. Le Guin. Her work has been compared to that of Borges and Calvino, and she has won numerous literary prizes as well as an award for her contribution to women's rights. In 2011 she received a World Fantasy Award for lifetime achievement.

Both deeply thoughtful and immensely playful ... Here we have a kind of magical realism for science fiction ... What is at the heart of every incident, every interlude, is a luminous exploration of humanity: love, power, death, the known and the unknown ... Contemplative, provoking, bizarre - and brilliant. Quite, quite brilliant * Tor * A novel that is unlike anything I've ever read, one part pulp adventure to one part realistic depiction of the affluent, nearly-idle bourgeoisie, but always leaning more towards the former in its inventiveness and pure sense of fun * Los Angeles Review of Books * Understated and impressive ... Gorodischer takes well-worn tropes in entertaining directions that both evoke their golden age roots and transcend them with a layer of absurdism. A joy to read * Publisher's Weekly * Gorodischer's tales are a perfect blend of Argentine reality and sci-fi fantasy. The reader can hear every word of the original whispered behind this translation by Amalia Gladhart -- Lisa Carter